MINISTER of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad has announced that the ‘Pakaraimas Safari’ expedition will now be a twice yearly venture.
He said it is becoming so popular that, already, people are asking when is the next one and they do not want to wait for it annually.

However, Prashad pointed out that the staging will depend on the dry season.

MISSION ACCOMPLISED! Ecstatic members of the 2008 safari to the Pakaraima mountains, including the very first three bikers to make the more than 500 mile journey, pose in front of the Orinduik Guest House on Monday. The safari began at midnight Thursday and took the team through Makushi villages in Region Nine and then unto the breathtaking vistas of the Pakaraimas and its prolific Patamuna people who still maintain their language. Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and his wife Yvonne (not in photo) and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Mr. Manniram Prashad led this year’s safari. It was organized by private tour operator Rainforest Tours in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Local Government and with the backing of key sponsors - GUYOIL and GT&T. (Neil Marks photo)

Speaking at the end of the sixth such event, at Orinduik Falls, he said the roads connecting Regions Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) have improved tremendously and Government has put more money into infrastructural development.

“I think this safari was a huge success and, apart from its pioneer nature, what we did, in this particular one, is to promote tourism to all the villages we visited,” Prashad explained.

He said the tour was one with a difference and not just about coming together and having fun with a few vehicles.

“We want to get these communities to gear themselves to produce craft, so that, when tourists visit, they can purchase souvenirs from the villages,” Prashad stated.

He said most of the communities are involved in agriculture and will benefit economically, as their responses were positive.

Minister Prashad also said all future safaris will include the element of tourism as the whole purpose of the adventures is not just about fun.

He said more and more sponsors are getting on board because they are seeing the benefit and getting value for their money from the development of tourism.

Prashad emphasised the need for tourism promotion in a big way, in terms of nature and adventure tours and eco-tourism.

He said, too, that, aside from being well organised, this year’s safari was incident free and his ministry is looking to explore other areas, among them South Rupununi and Orealla, where he will soon be visiting.

In his opinion, Orinduik Falls, located along the Ireng River which borders Guyana and Brazil, is in an area that has a lot of potential and needs private sector investment capital to develop it to attract more visitors.

Prashad said the airstrip, on which the Government recently did some work, is very big and the terrain conducive to building hotels and lodges.

“We want to develop Orinduik Falls just like the Niagara Falls, which is not half as beautiful as Orinduik Falls,” he declared.

“We don’t have blue water and white sand, like Barbados and St Lucia, but we have over 300 beautiful waterfalls and Orinduik is one of the nicest in the world,” Minister Prashad offered.

He said the future looks bright for adventure tourism in this country but the facilities at Orinduik, however, must be improved.

Prashad disclosed that the Michael Shree Chan Guest House, named for the late former Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, is currently maintained by the Regional Administration but a private investor has just been given the contract to develop it.

He also revealed that exploratory talks are taking place, with overseas investors, to build a small hotel and eco lodges in the area.

Prashad said another plus for Guyana is that it is now rated one of the top birding destinations worldwide and has been booked, by overseas tour operators, for 2009 and 2010.